Window-shade-trimming device.



No. 717,800. I I PATENTED JAN. 6,1903.

- 0.11. BELL.

wmnow SHADE TRIMMING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 10, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

1mm MW.

N BY 77/). AW Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BELL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WlNDOW-SHADE-TRlMMING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Eatent No. 717,800, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed April 10, 1902.

I0 aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BELL, a cil izen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cnyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVindow-Shade-Trimming Devices; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

mers; and the object of the. invention is to providea trimmer or trimming device Whereby a window-shade which has been cut to a given length and wound upon a roller can be shortened as much as may be required to fit a given window or by which a shade can be shortened to the width desired by cutting it directly upon the roller, after which the roller itself can be sawed off and the end bearing replaced thereon, and all this can be done on the spot after getting the measurements of a window, or the device can be used in a furnishing department where shades are kept in stock, all substantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of my improved trimmer or trimming device and an end section of a window-shade and roller and with the device in trimming or cutting position, as hereinafter more fully described. Fig. 2 is a plain side elevation of the device itself.

As thus shown, the device comprises two handled members A and B, resembling the handles or corresponding members of what are commonly known as pliers, and said parts are suitably pivoted together and held by a pivot-screw 2 or its equivalent, as in a pair of shears. The handle portions of these members are preferably of the shape here shown, because of their convenience; but they might be differently shaped and not depart from the invention. They might also be constructed at their extremities to serve for pulling tacks and as screw-drivers,while their jaws 3 and 4, so called, are constructed especially for present use. Both the said jaws have substantially the same configuration or outline in both side and plan, and the said My invention relates to window-shade trim- Serial No. 102,189. (No model.)

members are preferably made orcast complete in one piece, including jaws and handies. Both jaws are substantially V shape in side elevation. This principle of construction is also maintained in the further means connecled with the jaws, and to this end the upper jaw is provided with two blades or cutters 5, which together may be regarded as constituting a single substantially V-shaped cutter or cutting edge; but two sections are used, be cause it is more convenient to make and to sharpen in this form; otherwise it might be in one piece. The said sections, likewise, are adjustable by means of slots. therein and screws 6, which fasten them, so that as the edges become worn away the blade can be adjusted accordingly. The other jaw is provided with a substantially V-shaped trough. or extended bearing 7, fixed to the jaws and of such length as to form a steady support for the shade as the cutting progresses. Then having first rolled shade Ctightly upon roller D and evenly at both edges the shade can be placed into the trimmer or the trimmer upon the shade, substantially as seen in Fig. l, and as the shade is rotated with one hand and the trimmer is held with the other the work of trimming is speedily accomplished and the shade is provided with a new clean straight edge, as originally. The roller is then cut oft to a corresponding length and its bearing replaced thereon, and then the shade is ready to be put up.

One advantage of having bearing 7-of V shape corresponding to the cutter is that it always forms a uniform bearing in respect to the cutter regardless of the size or thickness of the shade, and in this it difiers materially from a circular bearing in which the shade might rock. Then by having the blades set as here shown or at some such inclination or angle I obtain a shearing cut, and the resistance at one of the inclined edges is met by the sharp edge of the other, and thus the cutting proceeds at two points with two corresponding bearing contacts on the shade. I have,however,shown this construction as the preferable style or form thereof and might change the shape of both the jaws and the parts 5 and 7 thereon without really depart- ,ing from my invention.

It will be noticed especially as an important feature of this invention that the bearing or trough 7 has such length as to project some distance in both directions from the sides of the cutter-blade. This is necessary in order that the shade shall have a length of bearing for rotation which will hold it steadily in the same relation to the cutter until the trimming is completed; otherwise if there were no such sustaining-bearing there would be a tendency for the shade to rock more or less while in the operation of trimming, and this would produce an uneven edge, which has to be carefully guarded against.

What I claim is- 1. A trimming device for shades having a set of handled jaws pivotally connected, and a substantially trough-shaped support for the shade on one jaw and a cutting-blade to trim the shade on the other jaw, said support for the shade extending in opposite directions from the sides of the cutter-blade, substantially as described.

2. In shade-trimmers, a hand trimming device having a substantially V-shaped trough serving as a support for the shade, and a substantially V-shaped blade to trim the shade arranged to cut substantially midway the length of said trough, whereby the shade is supported on both sides of the blade when cutting occurs and is held from rocking, substantially as described.

3. In shade-trimmers, a trimming device having handles and a set of jaws, a lengthwise support for the shade on one of said jaws and asubstantially V-shaped trimming-blade on the opposite jaw arranged centrally between the ends of said support for the shade and whereby firm bearing-points for the rotation of the shade are obtained at each side of said blade, substantially as described.

4. The trimming device for shades substantially as described, having a set of handled jaws, a support for the shade on one jaw and a trimming-blade on the other jaw comprisinga pair of blade-sections adjustably mounted in relation to each other and having the cutting edges of said sections of the blade at an angle to each other, substantially as described.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification this 3lst day of March, 1902.

CHARLES H. BELL.

Witnesses:

R. B. MosER, T. M. MADDEN. 

